Harry Potter and the Dark Prince
by ThreeCatsinaBarrel
Summary: The night young Harry Potter somehow vanquished the dreaded Lord Voldemort was also the night he suddenly disappeared. What does a mysterious woman from Lily's past have to do with these events?
1. The Lady in the Dark

Just a little experiment I'm thinking of doing once I've done a bit more to Legacy. Just want to know how it gets received so please leave your reviews and constructive criticisms somewhere so I can read them. Thanks, and I hope you all enjoy.

For all those who don't know, Briar is a female Overlord from my fanfic Legacy of the Overlord. If you're interested, go an have a read.

I've started a poll on my Profile Page so people can vote on whether I continue this story on its own or wait until I complete Legacy. Go on and vote, depending on the response the poll will finish at the end of October.

**H- HP -P**

Harry Potter and the Dark Prince

Chapter One: The Lady in the Night

Mr Dursley may have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting, as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed in the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.

A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently, you'd have thought he had just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed. Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive.

He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore. Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known." He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again – the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now even beady-eyed Mrs Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.

"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."

He turned to smiled at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the same shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled. "How did you know it was me?" she asked.

"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."

"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.

"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."

Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily. "Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no – even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursley's dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls... shooting stars... Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent – I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."

"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."

"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours." She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really _has_ gone, Dumbledore?"

"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"

"A_ what_?"

"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."

"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who _has_ gone -"

"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name. All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense – for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: _Voldemort_." Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who'. I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."

"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, _Voldemort_, was frightened of."

"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."

"Only because you're too – well – _noble_ to use them."

"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."

Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbedore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the _rumours_ that are flying around. You know what they're saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?" It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.

"What they're _saying_," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are – are – that they're – _dead_."

Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.

"Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it. Oh, Albus..."

Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. I know... I know..." he said heavily.

Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But – he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke – and that's why he's gone."

Dumbledore nodded glumly.

"It's – it's _true_?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"

"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."

Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"

"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me _why_ you're here, of all places?"

"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."

"You don't mean – you _can't_ mean the people who live _here_?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore – you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son – I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"

"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."

"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous – a legend – I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter Day in the future – there will be books written about Harry – every child in our world will know his name!"

"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he could walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"

Professor McGonagall opened her mouth and changed her mind. She was about to agree with Dumbledore when she remembered something Lily had said at the last Order meeting the young woman had attended. _"If anything happens to me and James, I want Briar to raise Harry."_ Lily didn't speak often about this mysterious woman but it was obvious that she respected this person greatly. When they had asked more about this Briar person, Lily simply said _"A good friend."_ Lily had met Briar a few years before Lily had come to Hogwarts but the young redhead explained little else apart from the fact that Briar was a powerful magic user, though showed very little interest in the events outside of 'her influence'. The members of the Order had come to the conclusion that Briar probably belonged to one of the more ancient pure-blood Wizard families; those who tried to distance themselves from the turmoil taking place and keep a neutral ground.

Professor McGonagall thought back to that last meeting that Lily and James had attended. Lily had said so suddenly and with such conviction that it caught everyone off guard. _"If anything happens to me and James, I want Briar to raise Harry."_

McGonagall swallowed a sudden lump in her throat and then said, "What about _that friend_ of Lily's? This Briar? Lily said she wanted Harry to go to her if something happened."

Dumbledore closed his eyes and shook his head "I sent owls to every one of the neutral and allied families asking if they knew anything about Briar, but alas, each wrote back saying they knew no-one by the name." Dumbledore explained. "It could be that Briar was part of a family sided with Voldemort but perhaps didn't agree with her family's decision and split from them."

"Do you think this Briar may have been the one to inform Voldemort on the Potter's whereabouts?" Professor McGonagall asked, anger seeping into her voice.

Dumbledore picked himself another Lemon Drop. "No, I don't." He said simply "Even if she had told Voldemort where they where, they were protected by the Fidelius Charm. Besides, I believe Lily when she told us Briar had no interests in choosing sides."

The severe-looking woman cast a glance at Dumbledore's half-moon spectacles and saw that he was intent more on his lemon drop. "What about Lily's desire?"

"After sending letters to the old families I used my most trusted links in the Ministry to look for any reports about magical pulses in the Muggle settlements. I thought maybe Briar had moved into a non-magical area to keep her tracks obscure if Death Eaters were trying to find her. This fits in with my idea she may have been from one of the Dark-sided families. All the information that I received only pointed to Death Eater or Ministry activity, the few anomalies found coincided with our own Order's missions."

" After that, there were little options open to me." Dumbledore explained, swallowing the lemon drop he had been talking around. "I consulted what magical creatures I could converse with and the Goblins went into a frenzy trying to find someone from the ancient families who didn't use Gringotts. Old Hobbletoad certainly liked the challenge, given I had no other name or family name to give him. When those failed I addressed letters to Briar with the little information I had on her. The entire roost of Hogwart's owls and even some wild volunteers flew to the four corners of the globe to find one woman in a day, I'm very impressed with their tenacity."

"The letters Albus? What about the letters? Surely one must have found her."

"All eight hundred letters were returned to my desk this morning, not one of them had even been touched by another witch or wizard. It is as if Briar doesn't even exist." Dumbledore sighed. "Lily may have wanted Harry to go to this woman but without being able to contact her to inform her of these events or without hearing anything from Briar herself, I'm afraid Harry must go to his next of kin. Hopefully Hagrid should be here soon."

Professor McGonagall closed her eyes trying to think of the reason a woman would be so secretive and cursing Lily – Merlin bless that poor woman – for not giving more information to go on. It certainly sounded like Dumbledore had exhausted all his options on finding her. They had no choice but to hand Harry over to these Muggles – even it one was related to Lily, Minerva still wasn't happy about it. They were the worst sort of Muggles imaginable.

A low rumbling sound broke the silence around them, an engine. "What is that?" McGonagall asked. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorbike fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.

If the motorbike was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so _wild_ – long tangles of bushy hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of dustbin lids and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.

"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorbike?"

"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorbike as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it me. I've got him, sir."

"No problems, were there?"

"No, sir – house was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."

Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.

"Is that where - ?" whispered Professor McGonagall

"Yes," said Dunbledore. "He'll have that scar for ever."

"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in useful. I have one myself above my left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well – give him here, Hagrid – we'd better get this over with."

Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned towards the Dursley's house.

"Couldn't we wait a couple more days to see if Briar contacts us?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"If Lily's friend does contact us I am prepared to pull Harry from his aunt and uncle and place the wards elsewhere," the aged wizard answered "but servants of the Dark Lord still roam and Harry must be given the protection we've placed around this house."

Professor McGonagall nodded sadly.

"Could I – could I say goodbye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid.

He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.

"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall. "You'll wake the Muggles!"

"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it – Lily an' James dead – an' little Harry off ter live with Muggles -"

"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.

"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."

"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice. "I'd best get this bike away. G'night Professor McGonagall – Professor Dumbledore, sir."

Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself on to the motorbike and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.

"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.

Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.

"Good luck, Harry. I hope Briar comes for you." he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak he was gone.

A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on. For half an hour it remained quiet in Privet Drive.

The breeze turned colder and all the street lamps along Privet Drive began to flicker and sputter before they went out completely allowing the night to overcome the row of houses, dousing them in shadow. Footsteps could be heard and from the same corner that Albus had appeared from, a woman in a black dress and long coat turned into Privet Drive. Tucked under her thick coat she wore a red shawl which covered her head in a hood and hid her face in a darkness so thick that her icy blue eyes seemed to glow from the shadows. She walked with a regal stance and held her head and limbs with a noble's air of control and grace. She passed the first few houses of Privet Drive like she had a destination in mind – strange since this woman, like the other three persons before her, wasn't the sort that associated with the neighbourhood of this street. She passed houses eight, seven, six, six A and five; then turned into the driveway of number four.

Despite the lack of light the woman saw the little bundle of blankets and a crumpled letter, clenched in a tiny fist, clearly. The dark clothed woman gathered the bundle in her arms and with a gentleness which hid the true strength of her hands took the letter from Harry's fingers.

"You will not be needing this any more, dear Harry." The woman told him and the letter seemed to just burst into flames in her fingers and its ashes disintegrated to the breeze. "Your mother did not want for you to come here did she?"

The baby just gazed at her from his blanket, he knew what he had lost the night before. The dark lady turned and left number four, its occupants none the wiser of their night-time visitors, and walked back past five, six A, six, seven and eight. Harry held securely in her arms.

"She lied to us, didn't she?" the woman asked the baby boy "She lied to the both of us."

A sobbing noise was her reply, but it was silenced when the little boy saw his tears reflected in the icy eyes of the woman carrying him into the darkness. Behind them the street lights flickered back into life and the breeze lessened its chill. She walked to a nearby park that was built next to a small wood and here she sat on a bench overlooking the abandoned playthings, the warmth and joy gone from them until tomorrow when children would return. Wrapped by the warm arms of someone who wasn't a stranger to him Harry fell back to slumber and the lady's arms wrapped tighter around his blanket.

A movement by the slide caught her attention. "Get out of the shadows, Gloob." the woman hissed "Before you scare the boy into waking. Everyone else too" The pattering of feet scampered to her and a sizeable force of minions of every colour gathered around the bench on which she sat. There were several brays with them, the cloaks hiding their furry forms and horns. The tattered, greying ears of Gloob, one of her most veteran brown minions, bowed before her.

"Sorry Mistress."

"Is the gate ready?"

"Yes, Mistress. Ripper sent me to find you. Minion Master Gnarl worried, you left so suddenly without bodyguard." Gloob explained. Briar got to her feet and with her horde she started to walk towards the trees. When the Dark Lady stopped suddenly the horde stopped too.

"Gloob." came the commanding voice of the Dark Lady. "Take a force of brown minions and return to the house I went to. Take the three occupants inside that house to The Farm in Mellow Hills."

Gloob's wicked grin was enough to see how pleased he was to get to do something in this dull realm and a shiver of excitement coursed through the other browns as well. The browns spilt off from the horde and followed their Dark Mistresses' scent back through the park and along the empty streets.

Briar and the remainder of her horde walked on deeper into the woods. For some reason she felt that the Dursleys deserved some form of punishment. She didn't know why she felt like they deserved punishment, but she had learned years ago to trust her instincts. Several minutes later a column of blue light shot into the sky and Briar and Harry were gone.

H- The Dark Prince -P

Dumbledore was aghast. He would not have believed it if he had not seen it with his own eyes. Number four Privet Drive was in ruins. The Dursleys and Harry were no where to be found and the belongings in the house were broken and smashed, the front door hung on only one of its hinges, the weaker doors inside the house were in even sorrier states, several were just shattered splinters.

Some five hours after he had dropped Harry off with his relatives Dumbledore decided he couldn't leave young Harry alone; not left on some doorstep with a family that wouldn't show him any acceptance. Blood relations or not, the wards could be set up elsewhere. He had gone back to Privet Drive with the intent to take Harry back and await for Briar to come and collect him, and – if she did not – prepare for him to be adopted by a Muggle family who had a magical child.

Yet five hours after he, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid had left Harry on the very doorstep that now lay strewn with remains of a carpet and a chair from the kitchen, something terrible had happened. The most worrying thing for Dumbledore was that the wards had shown nothing, something had attacked the house but the wards wouldn't reveal to him what had attacked the house, there were obvious signs of struggles in the bedrooms, but no blood. The wards on Harry were even more worrying. Harry's wards were broken.

The shock that the wizarding world felt after learning that its young saviour was now missing was terrifying. People were scared once again that perhaps the Dark Lord had not been destroyed and the Ministry began to prepare its people once again for the worst. Only the worst never came. The Death Eaters didn't march onto Muggle settlements, the Ministry hunted down the worst of them and the rest fell into disarray. The Dark Lord was gone, but the apparent price was deemed too high by many.

Harry Potter – the Boy Who Lived – had disappeared off the face of the Earth and not even the Dark Arts seemed to be effective in finding even a trace of him. Most, including Dumbledore, feared the worst.

H- HP -P

Chapter has been edited for spelling mistakes.

Remember vote on my poll to see how this story progresses.


	2. The Serpent Tongued

Chapter 2, this will be the last chapter until the poll on my profile is finished, so enjoy it while it lasts.

H- HP -P

Chapter Two: The Serpent Tongued

Nearly ten years had passed since Harry had been taken by Briar from his relatives' doorstep and brought to the Netherworld, but the upside-down tower of obsidian rock had hardly changed at all. The orbiting rocks which acted as transports to the various levels of the Netherworld still circled the tower awaiting to be called and the hot lava where the tower had been built deep into the world's crust still kept the Netherworld warm, its light crept into the windows and archways of the tower and glinted from the armour and weapons of the guarding hobbe and regular sized minions as they patrolled the tower and chased unfortunate rats and pest, including other new born minions. Only the Private Quarters seemed to have changed in anyway, or rather, a little side room that had been built a ways off from the Private Quarters main chamber, connected by a bridge of obsidian carved from the tower rock.

The single large window in this room had bars in it so that the occupant of this room didn't fall out of it when he was younger. Yet, although Corvin 'Harry' Potter, Heir to the Dark Lady, was older now, she still refused to remove those bars. _'You'll be surprized how bars can come in handy, my son.'_ Briar had told a young Corvin. Harry Potter, given the name of Corvin to mix better with the realm his mother ruled over, awoke to what he hoped was a quiet day. His training with weapons and magic was over for another week and he had earned a free day to rest his aching muscles. Since he had a day off, he rolled on to his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorbike in it. He had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.

There was a rapping noise outside his door.

"Cory? Are you up?" asked a girl's voice.

"Nearly, Adela." said Corvin.

"Lady Briar says she wants you up for breakfast."

Corvin groaned. Today was meant to be his free day.

"Sorry Cory, I didn't hear that." Adela asked through the door.

"Its okay, I'll be with everyone in a minute."

He heard little Adela's feet run away from his door and probably back to either the throne room or the banqueting hall a few floors above. Corvin got slowly out of bed and started looking for clothes. He found a pair of socks under his oak-frame bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on. Corvin was used to spiders, not because his chamber was full of them, but because the Netherworld was home to even bigger ones than the small common spider he had just taken off of his sock. The green minions rode spiders that could _eat_ his socks, Corvin knew that from experience. He dressed himself in a pair of jeans he had got from his own realm and a black cotton tunic with red trim he had got from his mother in this realm.

When he was dressed he opened his door and walked along the short bridge to reach the Private Quarters, it was mostly empty apart from a few serving minions who were making sure things stayed in order and a couple of red minions were checking the temperature of the water in his mother's huge bathing pool. Several bowed as he past on his way to the throne room and once he found no one there he went outside to find a floating platform was already waiting to take him up to the level of the banqueting hall. It took only a second for the rock to take him up a few floors and once he entered the tower again it returned to orbiting the tower with the other platforms. The banqueting hall was a huge cavern where the many tables had been carved from the very floor, they had been shined so many times it was like looking into a mirror. It was decorated with a huge number of banners and gilded statues of minions and some generals of ages past, when his mother had fought against the Glorious Empire. Most of the long tables were where the more veteran minion and bray warriors ate, they had earned the right to eat in the same room as their ruler and commander. Each of these twenty tables could seat more then a hundred and were permanently stocked with food. A slightly smaller, but much more grand and ornate table had been carved on a high platform and was the Overlord's table. His mother, the great Dark Lady Briar, supreme ruler of the world of Glorias and destroyer of the once mighty Glorious Empire, was sat in the middle. To her left sat the sisters Candra and Horatia, great great great granddaughters to Juno. Horatia was getting Adela, her daughter, comfortable on her lap and was sharing the food from her plate. Both sisters were curvy with light olive skin, Candra had long brown hair with golden fastening holding the brown locks out of her eyes, Horatia had slightly lighter hair and was a year younger than Candra. Beside them was their father, Benedictus, an ageing but very powerful looking man with olive skin a shade darker than his daughters' he was one of the oldest general of Briar's horde. The second from last person on the left of the grand table was a tall dark skinned man, with a straight nose and a cat-like gaze, he dressed in black silks and gold finery, Harkim was a wanderer from the Great Southern Desert and was another of his mother's generals. He was also one of Corvin's teacher in this realm and taught him maths, sciences and literature. Harkim was a good man with many talents, sword skills was only one of them. A little way down from Harkim was the strongest of his mother's generals. Gor was the great grandson of Ox, an albino wendigo who had helped Briar defeat the Glorious Empire. The huge grey and black creature was so big he sat on the floor while he ate and even then he towered over everyone else; he was already eating what looked like a whole roasted cow, complete with horns and tail. To his mother's right sat Fay, the former elf Queen of the Sanctuaries who had almost sacrificed her magic to help Briar get past a defensive magical wall around the Empire's capitol city. She was the only remaining mistress from those times. Kelda and Juno had died of old age many decades ago, before Briar had even met Lily. Next to the right Roan, Skarin and Bjorn, three brothers who were the great great great grandsons of Kelda. Roan, was the youngest at thirteen with dirty blond hair and a permanent smirk on his face, Bjorn was the second oldest at seventeen with the same dirty blond hair as his younger brother and Skarin was the oldest at twenty one, he was very powerful with large biceps and long hair almost a very very pale blond, intricate tattoos adorned his shoulders and chest. Skarin and Bjorn were some more of Briar's generals and also helped with Corvin's tutoring in the fighting arts. Roan was Corvin's part-time rival and his best friend. The grand table was looking strangely empty, even with Gor's massive bulk filling a whole end, since many of the generals were busy keeping Briar's kingdom in order. Even some of the mistresses and the older children had left to help their fathers, brothers and lovers in their endeavours. With mostly everyone eating and Briar concentrating more on something she was reading it was Roan who saw Corvin first and he gave his younger friend a large open smile. He was baring some new bruises from his own training with his brother's yesterday. Corvin was sporting some new ones as well.

Perhaps it had something to do with living underground, but Corvin was somewhat short for his age. Despite his height, or rather his lack of it, he was a strapping lad stronger than what he should have been, again thanks to the weapons training his mother and the males of his extended family forced him, Roan and the other children to take. Corvin had a thin face, strong limbs, jet black hair (almost the same, but not as silky or as shiny as his adoptive mother's) and bright-green eyes. All in all, he was much like the other Netherworld children, strong, happy, intelligent, and adored by Briar. Corvin had almost needed glasses at one time, but a quick spell from his mother and Corvin had been spared the need. It had been a painful process, but Briar had taken care not to cause to too much pain. The only thing that made Corvin unique in anyway was that Briar said he was a wizard and a very thin scar on his forehead which was shaped like a bolt of lightning. He had had it as long as he could remember and the first question he could ever remember asking his mother was how he had got it.

"The same madman that killed your parents, my son," she had said. "He turned his magic on you but your mother saved you."

"If you were there, why didn't you save my real parents?" a young Harry had asked.

"It _was_ your real mother who died to save you." And so Briar had told Harry how James and Lily Potter had given their lives to save the only thing that had really mattered to them. How James had died protecting Lily and his son, and Lily had died defending Harry. Briar, who had preferred to stay in her own realm, had not known anything was wrong until it was too late. Corvin would be forever grateful to his real parents, but more so to Briar, for raising him in their stead. Briar had known his real mother since first visiting his home realm and so could tell him about her, however, she had not known his father very well. Only once did Briar ever see James and even then she had not introduced herself, but Lily had told Briar about him a lot. It turned out his mother and father used to hate each other when they were younger; James used to bully an old friend of hers at school or something.

It was only when Corvin got closer to the table and Roan called out that his mother looked up from whatever she was reading and saw him sitting down in the empty seat next to her."Good morning, Corvin. After your lessons yesterday I thought you would appreciate a good breakfast." she explained. It was only as Corvin began to eat some of the roast chicken did he realise he was hungry and silently thanked his mother and little Adela for getting him onto his feet.

"What are you reading, mother?" Corvin asked, finishing his first bite of chicken.

"Something about your home realm, I've been thinking about your potential as a wizard." Briar told him honestly. "You're about the same age as Lily was when..." she whispered to herself not realizing that Corvin was still listening to her.

"When what?"

Her icy blue eyes looked at him quickly then flashed back to the book she was reading. "It may be that they believe you dead, you have been gone for ten years and I doubt they've found any way to track you down here in another realm – we would have heard something by now if they _had_ found a way."

"Mother?" Corvin asked, worriedly. He was used to his mother going off on one of these little rants, as he called them, but it wasn't often she ranted on about something to do with him and she had never mentioned anything about him as 'dead' before.

At that point Candra noticed her dark mistress' far away look and Corvin must have had a forlorn look on his face because after casting a glance to the young boy the Empire maiden gently shook the Overlord's armoured shoulder. "Lady Briar?"

Briar just grunted without taking her eyes off of the book. Corvin craned his body about so that he could read what the title of the book was. It was a dark red book with golden letters which read '_Hogwarts A History_'.

_Hogwarts, _thought Corvin seeing that Candra had Briar's attention now _that's the magic school my parents went to._ Why would Briar be concerned about that school? His private lessons with her in the arts of magic were going fine. When he was younger and began to show magical potential she had bought spellbooks and equipment from his world to teach him magic, he was getting good at it too despite not owning a wand. Briar, however, had anticipated this and was slowly showing him the fine art of performing wandless magic. He could perform several basic charms with ease and even some everyday spells. He was still no where near as adept as Briar herself.

She could call forth a powerful inferno of searing fire and scorching mana with a single finger, slow a battalion of charging knights to a crawl, imbue her weapons with arcane poisons and turn the most dangerous of her enemies into mindless puppets, all with the movement of a hand. Corvin still had a lot to learn.

Corvin just continued with his breakfast until his mother rounded on him and asked. "How would you like to spend a few days in your realm? You, me and a few of the others. It would get me away from the horde for a while and you have earned a small break from your training."

"Really? A few days without getting bruised, beat up and battered around? Can Roan come too?" Corvin asked, hope dripping from every word. When his mother nodded the young boy's face lit up with a large smile and he leapt at his mother and threw his arms around her shoulders. Roan was going to owe him big for getting the both of them out of training.

It took a bit of time to get the two boys to calm down and begin explaining to them what they were going to do. It turned out that Briar was going to pay the wizard bank of Gringotts a visit, she was going to start up an account for Corvin so that should anything happen in the Netherworld of her realm Corvin would be able to retreat back to his own realm with resources to start a new life for himself, she also wanted to ask the goblins something she had been wondering about for many months but she would not explain to Corvin what it was. As the plans began to finalize Gnarl, Briar's most senior advisor and servant ambled up to them, black robes dirtier and more ragged then when Briar first came to power but still pocessing his ability to order the other minions about.

"Young Lord Corvin, I have received word from Slick that he has found something that might interest you in the Green Sector of the Minion Burrows."

"Green Sector?" Corvin asked "What could he have found there?"

"Will you be going now or after breakfast?" Gnarl asked. Corvin got up from his seat after seeking consent from his mother to leave the table, he gave his thanks to Gnarl and then left. Racing to the floating platforms and willing one of them to take him to the Minion Burrows.

H- The Dark Prince -P

Slick was a rather unfortunate green minion. Unfortunate in that he was smaller and weedier than the others, this made him a popular target for the other larger minions. He was, however, very good at finding things. While the average greens prided themselves in being the Dark Lady's best assassins and ambushers Slick had proven to be a very good spy and scout. Unlike other greens he washed regularly and so didn't have the usual 'green problem' of smelling like the lovechild between a rotting carcass and a bag of fish heads. He was a full head smaller than the other greens and had very long ears he had studded with makeshift jewellery like bones and feathers. His skin was a very dark green and had stripes of lighter green along his back and sides. A fight earlier in his life had broken his lower jaw and poor Slick had had a tendency to drool when he got excited ever since. Having always been shunned from most of minion society and still considered young at five years of age he had quickly taken to playing with Lord Corvin in his bedroom when he had been chased into the Private Quarters by a group of other minions intent on bashing his head in. He found his means of escaping the bullies and earning himself a high rank in society when Corvin had asked if Briar would allow Slick to be his 'personal' minion servant. She had agreed and now no one dared argue with Lord Corvin and kept out of Slick's authority. Feeling his young master's presence nearby the green minion rushed to the area where the rock platform would drop off its passenger. His master had to see what he had found.

The Minion Burrows was a vast, crawling network of caves and subterranean chambers offering a surprising array of habitats, courtesy of the power of the Dark Lady's magic. A great forest grew along the western side of the Great Cavern that was the Netherworld, this was where the green minions had begun building a huge hive in the heart of this underground jungle. Their smaller, original hive was still located at the original Minion Burrow before the horde began to grow to an extent that needed more space. Now the Greens had grown a huge forest, the Blues had moved to the underwater lake that supplied the River of Styx, which also gave the Greens forest the water for the plants. The Reds had travelled deeper down, nearer the fiery lava and the Browns had begun to build their new hive to the North of the great cavern, their new territory extended from the North and around the cavern along the eastern side. Corvin had reached the Greens Forest soon enough to find Slick waiting for him.

"Master, Master, come see!" Slick shouted excitedly.

"What is it Slick?" Corvin asked jogging behind the small green making sure not to step on his long tail.

The green minion just ran on, a trail of drool appearing on the ground as they continued to wherever he was leading them. Slick led him to a rather deep and dense part of the forest before pointing to a large rock standing near to the edge of the great cavern, it was bathed in the red glow from the lava below. One the top of it was one of the largest snakes Corvin had seen in his life. It could have wrapped its body five times around a car from his realm and crushed it to dust – but it didn't look to be in the mood. It looked more like if was asleep, warming its body with the vast quantities of heat thrown out from the sea of molten rock. Slick was staring at the huge reptile, enraptured with it, drool pooling in a puddle around his feet. Corvin rolled his eyes as he really should have known by now. All green minions had a strange desire for all things reptilian, it probably stemmed from the fact that they were the most reptilian of the minions; Slick just happened to be one of the worst. He was staring intently at the glistening brown coils that could have squeezed the life out of him like Briar could make a building burst into flame with a click of her fingers. Only Briar wouldn't eat him whole afterwards.

"So pretty, so shiny." Slick mumbled under his breath as Corvin moved closer to the big snake.

The limbless reptile opened its beady eyes, raised its head and said to Corvin as he sat down on a rock beside it "Ever ssince moving here, I get thisss every day." Having Skarin, Bjorn, Harkim, Gor, his mother and everyone else beating on his bedroom door to get him ready for his training, Corvin could understand the harassment easily.

"I know," Corvin said as the snake shifted and laid her head down on a section of her body like a pillow. "It's really annoying – painful as well."

The snake raised an eyebrow, not understanding what Corvin was talking about.

"Where did you come from anyway?" Corvin asked

The snake jabbed her tail in Slick's direction "Green minionss brought me down when I hatched."

"Oh I see." Corvin said. It didn't surprise him. The greens were always bringing down any reptile they had been able to catch from the surface worlds. He'd seen some Boa Constrictors about and even some Chameleons from his realm around here. "Sorry about them."

"No worriesss, much easier life here than on the ssurface."

At that moment, a horn from the tower sounded, his mother calling some of the horde to her side. He looked back at Slick, whose ears were swivelling around his head as he listened to his Dark Lady's orders.

"Mistress wants Master back." the green minion said. Corvin sighed and looked back to the friendly snake who was now dropping down from her boulder to the ground, warmed up enough to start her own day.

"Sorry to begin a conversation and then leave Madame Snake." If there's one thing you have to do when talking to a creature that could swallow you whole for breakfast, it was to be respectful. You were more likely to survive the encounter. Take Gor for example.

The big snake just hissed out an understanding to the boy and then silently slivered away into the undergrowth. Corvin grabbed Slick by an ear to take the minion's attention away from the rippling muscles and returned the way they came back to the same rock port that Slick had been awaiting for him.

When the boy and his minion reached the tower they found Briar watching as some young browns were taking trunks and cases through the Netherworld gate. Its normal blue light was now a rich purple, the colour for Corvin's realm.

"Mother? I didn't think we would go so quickly."

Briar turned to look at her adopted son and placed an armoured hand upon his unruly hair again taking great care with the sharp inbuilt claws. "I want to get these matters sorted quickly so find Roan and tell him to dress for your realm. I have already told the minions to begin their chores in the manor, we leave as soon as you get Roan ready."

"Yes mother." Corvin said before running off to find his friend. Once her son had left, the Dark Lady went to sit on her throne to await their return. On the left arm of the great obsidian seat was an old envelope. The yellowish parchment had darkened from age and the emerald writing ink was faded, though still perfectly readable as was the letter that was inside it.

_ Miss L. Evans_

_ Third Bedroom_

_ 7 Francis Avenue_

_ St Albans_

_ Hertfordshire_

Lily had come to see Briar a day after first receiving her letter; she had been so happy, Briar still remembered her shining face and big smile, could still remember young Lily running at her with this letter in her grasp.

"_Briar Briar! Look, there's a school! There ARE others like us!"_ She had been so happy. She had shown Briar her letter and the uniform for Hogwarts she and her family had bought at Diagon Alley. That was the day Briar discovered why the Netherworld had sent her to that presumably non-magical realm, there was a secret society of magical users living in it and Lily would finally get the proper training in her abilities that she needed. Now, her son was reaching that age that Lily had first received this letter. Briar wondered if Lily's son was being missed in his realm.

H- HP -P

How was this one, I'm trying to follow the books as much as I can but do expect some twists and turns.

I don't know where Lily lived or even if it was in the book, I only read through the last few books quickly.

Remember there is a poll on my profile, so go vote now.


	3. Scars of the Arcane

Well the poll is in and it turns out that people want me to make this into its own little story. So I shall, don't say I don't give you anything. This chapter was a little rushed but hopefully you'll be able to understand what's going on. So here you are.

EDIT: Chapter had been checked for spelling and grammar.

H - HP - P

Chapter Three: Scars of the Arcane

When Briar had first discovered Harry's realm she had been quick to establish herself somewhere quiet, away from the hustle, bustle and the prying eyes of towns. She had been worried about how her finances and treasure hordes would amount to in this strange futuristic world (by her medieval standards), she had no idea about how the currency would translate from her world to this world but she quickly discovered that the people in this realm placed a higher value on gold and silver than from her own realm. Briar had used just a tiny portion from the hefty sums of money she had gained from just a few bars of pure gold and silver to buy a manor on the outskirts of the town Lily had lived in as a child. Lily and a few of her friends had come to play inside its halls many times when the witch had been younger and as she had grown up. Nox Noctis Manor had been built in the grounds of a decrepit Tudor manor that had been left to rot after a fire had gutted it sometime in the late sixteenth century. When Briar had bought the land the old ruins had been preserved by a historic society and the new Noctis Manor foundations had been set a little way further into the four hundred and twenty acre grounds, the Tudor ruins were now a heritage site and the public paid to see them.

The new manor had five separate bedrooms on the top floor, en suites, a library and a training room. The ground floor had a large entrance hall, ballroom, kitchen, a tiny dining hall, studies and a stable on the West side of the building, Briar just didn't like cars, they were far too loud. From the outside, Nox Noctis Manor looked rather unassuming, but if you could see several floors under it you'd soon get the feeling that nothing was quite as normal. The seven basement levels had been carved out by the minions and transformed into a flooded, hot chasm under the manor complete with minion holes linked across realms to the Minion Burrows. Netherworld shards had been scattered around the centre of the chasm and, feeding off of Briar's magic, they had grown to become a stable gateway between the two realms. It was nothing like the Netherworld Tower but Nox Noctis Manor was considered a good home; especially by Corvin.

The manor was permanently staffed by minions, brays and a small army of trusted witches and wizards. The two most senior staff were Jasper, a thin, late thirty-ish man with slicked back, grey hair who tended the grounds and acted as butler when Briar and the family were in, and a tall, severe woman who saw to the care of the horses, Mrs Keller. It was Jasper that Corvin saw first as his vision cleared from the light of the Netherworld gate, minions had already taken the few belongings he had taken from his room in the Netherworld tower up to his bedroom, he already had clothes at the manor so the only thing he carried with him was his sword. A simple little thing no where near as intricate or as strong as his mother's. "Good morning, Master Corvin." Jasper said coming to a stand just beyond the reach of the gate's light.

"Hello Jasper, how have things been here?" Corvin asked, more as a formality. Whenever he saw Jasper he felt like it was just the proper thing to do; he was a very good butler after all and the tragic man kept a firm grasp on the minions that helped keep the manor proper. Corvin was quite sure that without him and Mrs Keller they would return to find the manor had turned into a disaster area.

"Very well, sir. Rather boring actually." Jasper anwsered politely as he and Corvin watched Roan come from the gate next. "Ah, with you and Roan around I'm sure things will soon pick up again." he added with a hint of a smile gracing his thin lips.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that tingling sensation." Corvin heard Roan groan out behind him. "Hi Jasper, minions haven't given you any trouble have they?"

"Of course not, Master Roan. Not after last time." the butler said taking a hold of some cases containing clothing for Roan. Since Roan did not often come to Corvin's realm he had to bring some clothes with him.

"Wait Jasper, Lady Briar wants to talk to you about something when she gets through so I'll take my own things up to a bedroom." said Roan quickly, taking the cases from Jasper's hands.

"Oh, very well, sir. I shall wait here then for the Lady." With that the two boys followed the paths and walkways up to the manor, some minions cheering and calling out to them as they past. Slick had silently weaselled his way past the two and was now leading the way up to the house proper. The hidden entrance to the Manor Burrows, the name given to the Minion Burrows under Nox Noctis Manor, opened up at their approach and the two young lords and the runty green minion stepped out into the basement which was filled with food and drink stuffs and even scattered with old minion equipment like helmets and broken weapons. They were likely storing it until the pile got a bit bigger before they could reforge new armour in the small forging area of the Manor Burrows.

"I thought the minions would keep their forging materials a little more organized." Roan commented as they passed the pile.

"Minions 'ere have tiny Forge, nowhere else to keep the metal." Slick told him as the green held the door open that led to the kitchen where several house elves came up to greet them. From the gorgeous smell that was wafting around the stoves and counters it was roast lamb. Briar's favourite. Getting past the house elves and going up the stairs, again seeing some minions guarding the hallways and doors and some house elves cleaning the furniture and rooms as they climbed the stairs to the manor's second floor. Reaching the top of the stairs Corvin and Roan turned left to enter the fifth bedroom which Roan always claimed as his own whenever he visited the manor.

"A week without training!" the burly blond shouted in ecstasy as he fell onto the bed after putting his cases at the foot of the solid oak frame.

Corvin left smiling at his surrogate brother's antics and went to settle into his own bedroom which was located in on the west side of the manor and was the first bedroom; most people would call it the master bedroom, but most people didn't realise Briar had her own bedroom which took up the whole space in the attic. Corvin walked into his bedroom to find it exactly how he'd left it. His large oak frame four poster bed was hand carved by the minions (as was most furniture in the manor) and was kept clean and dust-free by the house elves, his huge wardrobe and tables were also carved from oak and like his bed held motifs of the minions and Overlord symbols. Reds, blacks, golds and wooden hues were the colour scheme of the manor broken by huge paintings and portraits of Briar's generals and mistresses from the past. In his bedroom was a painting of Briar and his birth mother, Lily, when she was about fifteen. Corvin's eyes fell upon the painting on the western wall the room as he put away his personal items. Briar was stood regally in a beautifully intricate white and red dress, her jet black locks held out of her piercing blue eyes by silver and gemstone fastenings. His mother was dressed in a periwinkle blue dress with small amounts of purple trim, her long red hair allowed to hang loose around her shoulders. Harkim had painted the picture, he had shown Corvin the photos he had taken to help him complete the project several times in the past. He loved the picture, not because it held his real mother, but because it showed Briar smiling. _"There are few times I remember Lady Briar smiling, Corvin." _He heard Harkim's voice telling him in one of his science lessons when the wise desert wanderer had shown the pictures for the first time. _"Your mother was just one of a few. She was very special to the Lady. It hurt her deeply when your parents died, deeper than perhaps even she realised."_ He tore his eyes away from the painting to see Slick had taken his place on top of his four poster bed, it was where the runty Green minion had set up a perfect vigil to protect his young master throughout the night. It was this time that Corvin heard his mother coming into his room and looked up to her. She was dressed in Muggle clothes and her weapons were no where in sight.

"I've decided that we shall wait until tomorrow to go to the Alley. You and Roan can do as you want for the day, but make sure you return for dinner."

"Thanks Mother. Can I take Gypsy out?"

"I don't see why not, see if Roan wants to come with you." with that Briar left and Corvin saw her take the stairs up to her bedroom while he returned to Roan's bedroom to find the Nordbergian lad stuffing his clothing into the draws and wardrobe.

"Roan, Mother's decided to take us to Diagon Alley tomorrow so I'm taking Gypsy out for a run."

"Hey, let me take Warek!" the older boy asked excitedly. Gypsy and Warek, in simple words, were Corvin and Roan's favourite steeds and the two had not been able to see the riding animals for some weeks.

The stables of Noctis Manor were huge, the stable attached to the manor itself was capable of holding over thirty individual horses alone in their own spacious stalls. The stables that had been built separate from the manor was capable of holding over sixty. Briar was an avid horse and pony breeder (as well as other livestock kept at a farm located on the manor's vast grounds) the best specimens from her horses were sent back to her realm to be trained and used as warhorses and tireless pack animals to support her armies. The stables were maintained and the horses cared for by an army of farmhands and minions all working for Mrs Keller, who was tending to a Friesian stallion when the two boys eventually reached the large stables. "Hello, Mrs Keller, is Warek okay to go out?" Roan asked bouncing over to the severe woman who looked at him with a strange mix of relief and utter contempt.

"Where have you been Roan? I told Briar I need you here at least twice a week to exercise that damn animal! Greg is off work with a fractured leg because of Warek! Get that wretched thing's reigns and get him outside before he tries to break out again!" the thin woman barked, sending Roan to the area of the manor stables that held the tack for the horses and ponies. Mrs Keller's moods were renowned for being 'explosive'. When she fixed Corvin with a glance the boy froze to the spot, daring not to say anything in case she started on him. After a minute where Mrss Keller was able to gather herself she spoke to Corvin in a much more calmer voice. "Gypsy's stuff is in its usual spot, Corvin. I'm sure she'll be pleased to see you."

"Thank you, Mrs Keller. I hope the stallion is okay."

"He's just getting used to his shoes, first time this one's been shod. He'll be fine, go and see Gypsy."

Knowing the horse was in good hands with the tall woman Corvin walked to Gypsy's stall, grabbing her saddle and reigns from a rack as he went. Gypsy was a friendly mare who was a mix of so many different horse breeds it wasn't apparent what she was, Briar had bought her mainly because the young mare was a very laid-back and good natured creature, perfect for teaching Corvin how to ride. The brown and cream mare was in her normal stall and had her head sticking out from her stall as Corvin approached, her ears perked and an excited whinny. In her stall Corvin was able to put the equipment down and greet the friendly mare who was sniffing at his hair and allowed him to scratch her neck and pat her ears and nose. "You okay girl, want to have a run yeah?"

The mare of course said nothing but allowed Corvin to tie the saddle to her and put the reigns over her head. Once she was ready he led her back through the stables, past the stallion Mrs Keller was seeing to and outside, Roan and Warek weren't outside so Corvin climbed into the saddle and walked Gypsy around for a bit while waiting for his older friend and his temperamental steed. Eventually, there was a sound from the stables and Corvin could hear Roan directing Warek outside.

"Go on boy, go on, out we go. There's a boy!" and out trotted Roan atop a dark brown Exmoor Pony.

Warek had been brought by Briar for his endurance and tenacity; his fierce loyalty to his rider had come as an added surprise when Roan had first got onto the pony's back. The pony held Roan on his back like the young viking wasn't even there, his ears swivelling around his head as he trotted up to the larger mare and Corvin.

"We ready to go?" Corvin asked

Roan nodded and together the two boys and their steeds rode out from the stables and into the fields of Nox Noctis grounds.

H - The Dark Prince - P

Briar watched from her bedroom window as her sons trotted across the grounds towards the woods to the West where they would probably stop to look for deer tracks, but with them occupied she could finally begin her own plan. The Dark Lady pulled herself away from her window and walked to the middle of her vast personal space where a circle of patterns was carved into the wooden panels of the floor. Brair would take Corvin to Diagon Alley tomorrow, but she had other things to sort out first of all which required only her. She did not want to bore her sons with the incessant prattle of Goblins and the intricacies of their society and the Gringott's banking systems until necessary.

Briar however, had business that she felt could not wait any longer.

Her eyes and the veins in the palms of her hands began to glow as she called forth her magic, she clapped her hands together and there was a great flash of white light which cleared to reveal that she was standing in front of an oak door. Just as her hands came to rest at her side the door opened and a minion-sized goblin stared up at her and grinned.

"Lady Rose, your timing is as impeccable as always." the aged goblin complimented allowing her into his office.

"Thank you for seeing me at such short notice, Gobbletoad." Closing the door he took her hand and led her to a seat at an ornate table before sitting himself opposite her.

"After your many contributions to this bank, Miss Rose, I still consider it a personal honour to consult you in any meeting. Short notice or otherwise." Gobbletoad explained, valued customers among the wizards were rare commodities to goblins. Briar had always ensured to be a customer that showed good faith in the goblins and she was rewarded handsomely for it. She used an alias name with the bank to protect her interests and, of course, her identity. Through the many years since she had first opened her personal account and a savings account for Lily when they discovered the existence of the wizarding world she had been sure to keep good faith with the goblins. Respect, appreciation and a deep coffer got you far in their society. "Speaking of the meeting, what was it that you wished to discuss so urgently."

"It is in regards to some accounts that belonged to a very good friend of mine, the late Lily Potter, formally Miss Lily Evans." Briar explained.

"_The Potters_, Miss Rose?" Gobbletoad asked with a surprised air.

"Yes, Gobbletoad. Before the death of her and her husband Mrs Potter had come to see me regarding the guardianship of their most precious pocessions should anything... untoward... happen to her family. While I verbally agreed to take sole care of their most important treasure I tried to explain to her that she should find a Steward for the Potter accounts and estates who could properly care for them. But I believe that she and her husband may have placed my name down as the sole steward to their accounts, disregarding my wishes. I wish to find out if my feelings are correct." Gobbletoad nodded as he listened to her words before he spoke.

"The Potter family are one of the oldest of the Ancient Families with links to King Arthur and hence, to Merlin himself, so their estates would be in the billions, if not billions then they would be considered priceless. Luckily, the Diagon Alley branch of Gringotts is the home to the old Potter family accountant and I'm sure he will be most delighted to help in this case. Unfortunately, he is rather old and cannot walk well any more, dear Lady, if you could follow me Miss Rose we shall go see him."

"I would be most honoured to see the Living Areas of this fine bank, Gobbletoad." Briar said with an honest smile "I will relish this chance to see them with my own eyes." Her accountant lifted an inquisitive eyebrow as a genuine smile graced his large lips. The chance to walk through the very heart of a Gringott's bank was to walk through a goblin city where the many accountants and their families lived, it was why they guarded the banks so ferociously. But few wizards or witches understood this and so very few ever got to see these special streets set aside from the Alley and built into Gringotts, the few that did often saw the experience as a waste of time, but Briar had many lifetimes of experience underneath her young facade. To walk through the Living Quarters was a goblin invitation to see through their armour, past their defensive walls; it was a test of character.

Where others would have shown distaste at having to journey down to the deepest levels of the bank, Briar saw the experience for what it was, a chance to show that she was a trusting customer. Some would call her an idiot; but few of the other magical races choose to remember that it was grave sin, punishable by death, to cheat or extort or beguile another out of their hard earned money in goblin society. No reputable goblin accountant, like Gobbletoad, even thought of doing such things.

Still smiling, the goblin again offered his hand to the regal lady and led Briar down to the glittering city that lay buried under the white halls of Gringotts.

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The goblin who had served the Potter family as their accountant was a very haggard little thing who reminded her of Gnarl but his skin was a dusky colour instead of grey, he was dressed in rich finery as he greeted the both of them warmly and allowed Briar and Gobbletoad into his home. After explaining the situation to him the goblin fixed Briar with an inquisitive if somewhat disbelieving glare. There was silence for a long time as Briar and Krule stared at each other, Gobbletoad just continued to drink the tea he had been offered by the senior member of the bank. Finally, the ancient goblin said, "James and Lily Potter _did_ place a single name down as the Steward to their estates until their heir reached the age where he could reclaim them in the family name. But that name was not Rose, my lady."

"Mrs Potter must have given you some way for me to prove my identity?" Briar asked. Krule reached behind him and recovered a vial of orange liquid and past it over to the young woman.

"Please drink it." he said.

Taking the stopper out Briar swallowed the potion whole, not letting it touch her tastebuds. She replaced the stopper and handed the crystal vial back to Krule.

"That was a Truthful Intent potion, designed by the best goblin minds and our strongest magic, we use it to ensure a person is being truthful in their words. Since Harry Potter has been missing for many years we must be sure you are who you say you are. I will not have the noble Potter name stolen by an imposter."

"I understand. What must I do?"

"The sole person the Potters signed on all their forms had some very unique magical scarring on their hands and arms as well as other _interesting_ qualities. The Truthful Intent potion you just drank also contained another ingredient. For most witches and wizards aria is a substance that suppresses the flow of the magical properties in their blood, it can cause them to lose their ability to cast spells. For some very, very rare arcane individuals however, those whose blood contains amazing quantities of mana the aria will have no effect on them at all. I will point out Miss Rose, that the only person who could possibly possess such arcane talents is the person who Mrs and Mr Potter named as their Steward." Krule explained, Gobbletoad and Briar listening carefully. "If you are this individual that the Potters put down on their forms, than all you have to do, is show me these unique scars."

"_Truat Lily to come up with something like this. Such a clever girl."_ The Dark Lady thought fondly as she removed the Shadow Cloak from her shoulders and her coat, leaving her arms bare to the room. She concentrated and with the vast amount of arcane mana in her blood the aria dissolved and dim lights began to shine under her skin. The eyes of both goblins widened in awe as arcane light began to map out the veins across the palms of her hands and then up her arms as her ice blue iris' began to shine on the craggly faces of the goblin accountants. Krule smiled and bowed his head. "Dark Lady Briar, Overlord to the Netherworld. We have a lot to discuss."

"Thank you, Krule, before Gobbletoad leaves I wish to ask him one more favour before today ends." the older goblin nodded his consent. "Gobbletoad, could you send a letter to the Headmaster of Hogwarts School and please inform him that Harry Potter has returned to Britain."

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Its all kicking off now. What's going to happen when the wizarding world learns that somewhere out there their hero has returned.


	4. Dinner At Nox Noctis Manor

Hello people, sorry for the long wait but I've had to get past some terrible news recently and its effecting my writing. I'm not prepared to explain about it but it may come to pass that I may spend a bit more time off my writing, but don't fear, I'm not leaving completely.

Anyway, here is Chapter Four, enjoy!

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Chapter Four: Dinner At Nox Noctis Manor

Hogwarts Castle was magnificent at sunset. Dumbledore always preferred the castle at sunset with the golden light dappling and shimmering on the waves in of the Great Lake, the Giant Squid seemed rather energetic today for some reason. Dumbledore watched from his Observatory he looked across the grounds, imagining the students walking through them. This year should have been the year young Harry would have come to this wondrous school but after years of searching and investigating, nothing. Harry Potter just disappeared and the world moved on. The Order still kept its eyes open for any sign of Voldemort, and apart from the occasional anacharists bent on spreading some chaos the true Death Eaters were either locked firmly in Azkaban or keeping a low profile.

Red and Gold feathers and a heaviness settled onto the aged wizard's shoulder as Fawkes returned from hunting in the Forbidden Forest. "I trust you are full?" he wheezed to his unlikely friend. A beautiful trill rent the air around him as the huge fantastical bird shook himself and preened his wings. "Yes I'm a bit peckish now myself, but I'll go and get something from the house elves soon." An owl suddenly fluttered in through the huge open windows of his small observatory and perched on the arm of the Headmaster's chair offering its talon where a small letter with the Gringotts' seal stamped on it.

"Oh, must be from Gobbletoad. I do not believe I should be getting any letters about Hogwart's accounts today." Fawkes moved from Dumbledore's shoulder to the back of his ornate chair as the Sorcerer took the offered letter from the owl and offered the tired bird a treat before the Tawny Owl flew back out the window. Breaking the wax seal, Dumbledore's gnarled hands plucked the letter from the envelope before his thin fingers carefully opened the parchment so he could read.

As he read Gobbletoad's letter, his eyes widened and the twinkle lost from them for nearly ten years returned stronger with each word that he read. The great phoenix could feel the excited energy in his old friend and lighted to his proper perch on Dumbledore's desk as the headmaster suddenly became a flurry of activity. "Fawkes, my friend, please deliver this message to Professor McGonagall, I believe she will be taking some tea in her office at this time! Hurry my friend, we have no time to lose!" The Headmaster said, giving Fawkes a moderate sized piece of parchment he had torn from a stack of nearby papers and written something on while he explained what he wanted Fawkes to do. The phoenix, fed off of Dumbledore's happy mood, sang and trilled as he took the parchment in his beak and flew back out of the open observatory window.

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When Corvin and Roan returned home it was dark and Mrs Keller had finished her business with the young friesian so she helped the two young masters of the manor pack away their tack and put Gypsy and Warek in their stalls (the more intelligent grooms kept well away from the stubborn pony at all costs). But Warek, tired from carrying Roan and keeping up with Gypsy's long strides, was much more cooperative than usual and allowed the Nordbergian lad to put him in his stall with little fuss; much to Mrs Keller and her work-hand's relief.

"There you go, Gypsy." Corvin said to the mare as she obligingly walked into her stall and started munching on the feed left for her. "Yeah, I better have my own dinner, shouldn't I?" Gypsy just grunted as she continued eating. "I'll see you tomorrow, Gyp." With a final, well deserved pat on the neck, Corvin left the mare to her feed and closed her stall; making sure he left her tack where the grooms could do whatever was needed for the next day.

He found Roan once again being scolded by Mrs Keller at the door that led back into the house.

"Roan, I'll be talking to Briar about that damn pony. You HAVE to exercise him! I won't have him attacking any more of the grooms. The next time he does, I'll have him put down as a dangerous animal."

"What? He's just pony!" Roan cried "He couldn't have done that much damage!"

"He broke Gregory's arm! You know yourself how he is Roan. Spirited is one thing, attacking a full grown man at the drop of a wand for no reason and breaking bones is completely another!" the severe woman shot back and Roan's shoulders visibly drooped. "Like I said, I will speak to the Lady regarding this."

Corvin felt his eyebrows draw together, Warek must have caused quite a panic for Mrs Keller to threatened with something so drastic and despite being just a pony Warek was very strong, Corvin had no trouble believing he could have really hurt someone.

"Go have your dinner now, remember what I said." and with that Mrs Keller left the two boys to their own devices.

"Come on Roan, Mother and Mrs Keller will sort this out." Corvin comforted, patting Roan's large shoulder.

"Do you really think Warek could do something like that?"

"He might be a small pony, but he _is_ very strong, he carries you about for an entire day doesn't he?" the smell of roast lamb wafted to their noses as they began to make their way to the dining hall reminding Corvin just how hungry he was and from the sounds that started to erupt from Roan's abdominal area the Nordbergian was ready for something to eat as well.

With the the fate of stubborn Warek out of mind for now the two boys followed their noses to the dining hall where the table was already laid and their dinners set, Briar was there too, looking out of window. When Corvin and Roan entered she turned to look at them with her eyes glowing dimly, Corvin saw Roan freeze momentarily and throw his hands up in surrender.

"I didn't know he attacked someone! I swear, Lady Briar!" Roan all but cried out in panic.

His mother's eyes always shone when she feeling certain emotions, anger, sadness, joy, any strong emotion and given what Mrs Keller had promised Roan just minutes ago it was perfectly normal for Roan to have thought she was angry at him. The Dark Lady did not like anything damaging her property. Briar considered the people that worked for her as part of her property. Corvin, however, could see this wasn't anger but he also couldn't tell what she feeling, he was normally very good at guessing her feelings.

"Sorry Roan, I did not mean to scare you." Briar said, shaking herself from her mood and her eyes returning to their normal icy blue as she walked up to the two boys and placed her hands reassuringly on Roan's shoulders. "Though it seems Mrs Keller is going to be speaking to me later, yes?"

Roan nodded, glad he wasn't in any trouble... yet.

"Oh, well. Let's have dinner, it has been a productive day." the Dark Lady said, explaining she had been at Gringotts with Gobbletoad and promised that she was still taking the both of them to Diagon Alley tomorrow "There are many people who wish to see you, Corvin." They sat at their places and dove into their meals. As always, the house elves had outdone themselves, the lamb was tender and the vegetables cooked to perfection. But dinner was a somber affair, not that there wasn't discussion.

Corvin and Roan were able to talk about their training, how their footwork and strength was improving with each new weapon they trained with and they told Briar about how they had tracked a stag through the woods while she had been at Gringotts. But Corvin could see that his mother had something on her mind and her pensive mood was not lost on the two boys.

"Mother, what's going on?" Corvin finally asked, seeing Briar picking at the vegetables. "You've been very... odd... all day, what are you planing?"

The contours of Briar's striking face lit up under the curtain of shining obsidian hair from a smile as she took hold of her son's hand and squeezed it affectionately.

"I'm okay dear Corvin. Things have just transpired today that remind me of your mother. I thought that maybe you would have gotten a Hogwarts letter, it should be about time the school would be sending them out." Briar's free hand lifted from her fork and covered their embracing hands, smothering Corvin's hands inside her own.

"Do you think Hogwarts would accept him, Corvin's been gone for a long time in their world. Most wizards don't believe Harry Potter is even alive anymore." Roan said. The Norbergian boy had finished his third helping and was washing it down with the last of the apple juice in a table pitcher. And he was right; Harry, Corvin, hadn't been to any wizarding areas his own realm for many years after Briar had taken him from his relatives' doorstep. He had stayed with her when she had visited the manor but he had no inkling to ask to see any other part of his birth realm until he was six; after his first bit of accidental magic. His world had moved on without him and Corvin didn't care one bit, he had his brothers, his sisters, his nieces and nephews, the memory of his real parents and of course, he had his adoptive mother. He shrugged his shoulders at Roan.

"So what happens if I'm not accepted?"

"Then we carry on as we have been." Briar said, releasing his hands. "I continue training you in magic and with the spellbooks from London, and you may return to this realm permanently when you are old enough; should you wish it."

"We'll come back here, you and me could take on the world, Brother!" Roan cried.

"It wouldn't be a fair fight, the Muggles and Wizards would be begging for a cease fire on the first day!" Corvin argued back laughing manically. With her boys in brighter spirits Briar's dull mood lifted and she paid fleeting attention to their boisterous banter about world domination as she attacked her cooling meal with renewed gusto.

Desert was something of a Noctis tradition. Icecream animals.

Using magic the house elves and cooks made miniature animals from icecream and other sweet substances. Corvin had a boar, complete with a whole cherry in its mouth for aesthetic effect, Roan had a ram and Briar had a rat (which was full sized since a rat was a small animal to begin with). The dinner plates had only just melted away to be replaced with their deserts by the time Corvin was already decapitating his boar. Using his spoon the young wizard removed the animals' head and watched as strawberry syrup trickled out of its neck as he ate the head, the milk chocolate which had been moulded to make the boar's skeleton crunched satisfactorily between his teeth, the fresh cherry from its mouth and the glacé cherries used to make its brain inside the chocolate skull swirling in his mouth.

The chocolate skeleton was made first then icecream was used to sculpt the creature. Glace fruits, gummy sweets and red coloured syrup was used as internal organs and blood and were stuffed into the desert as the icecream was sculpted. Corvin loved icecream animals, they were sweet on the tongue and were perfectly messy to eat with the gummy sweets and syrup oozing out of spoon stabs and scoops.

It didn't take long for the deserts to be stripped to their chocolate bones and it was only a few more seconds before they disappeared into hungry mouths too, leaving nothing but a thin pool of red syrup on their plates. They left the plates for the house elves to deal with as they moved to the huge living-room to relax for the rest of the evening.

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Roan liked watching television, despite not being able to understand the intricacies of how a television actually worked. All he knew was that if you pressed buttons it made the 'screen' change and moving pictures would appear on it. Corvin and Briar, however, did not really care for it and were playing with a fine set of troll bone dominoes while the Nordbergian watched a Disney cartoon, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves from the sound of the songs. Briar laid down her last piece and won yet another game. "I thought Gnarl taught you to play." Corvin said as he shuffled the domino pieces of the table.

"He did, but he wasn't the only one I met who knew how to play." Briar explained, picking seven dominoes as Corvin did and then pushed the remaining stack to the side. "They taught me how to play without cheating." It was well known that a beginner should never play against a millenia's old master, especially Briar, she never went soft on anyone. An opponent in real life would never go easy on you, best to realise that at an early age. The three spent their time in companionable silence while Slick spent his time climbing the carvings decorating the walls depicting minions, brays and Heaven Peak knights fighting the Glorious Empire legions and scaling the red velvet curtains to reach holders, keeping watch on his young master and the family from a height, surveying the room for danger. When he felt something powerful fall onto the wards around the Manor and its grounds his ears perked and he listened. He was not alone. The minions and house elves all over the manor, cleaning the plates and cooking utensils guarding the entrance hall and ballroom listened as well and the Dark Lady stopped playing, her adopted offspring not aware of the wards and the powerful magic assailing them. Slick, the Dark Lady, the house elves and the other minions felt this powerful magic following the road to reach the entrance to the manor, the great door in the entrance hall was sounded by the bell. Briar had seemed to realize that whatever this power was it meant them no harm when it was halfway to the grand house and had lessened the wards to allow this presence to reach the manor.

Jasper entered the living room, a picture perfect butler with his ironed black suit and white gloves and neat hair, and that's when Corvin and Roan realised someone was visiting. "Yes Jasper?" Briar asked.

"Headmaster Dumbledore and an associate wish to meet with you, m'Lady."

"Send them in, then tell the house elves to make some drinks." Jasper bowed and left the Living Room, closing the door as he went.

"Mother? Is he..." Corvin said, suddenly losing interest in the dominoes game he had been winning. His mother nodded and stood up from the table and Corvin came to stand with her. Roan, came to stand by her other side, paying no mind to the television which normally held his attention until he fell asleep on the floor. He stood with his brother and master as Jasper opened the door again and led a tall, elderly man wearing colourful robes and a long white beard which was tucked into his belt, and a woman dressed in formal looking black robes with a large witches hat. When they saw Corvin, the old man's eyes twinkled brightly behind half-moon spectacles and the witch's hands flew to her mouth to hide a surprised gasp. That was Corvin's second meeting with the headmaster and his future teacher, the first meeting, was little more to the boy that was Harry Potter than a long lost dream.

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The wards which surrounded Nox Noctis Manor were frighteningly strong, so strong that Dumbledore and Professor McGongall just couldn't apparate at the entrance to the manor house. The wards had forced them to appear at the gatehouse which separated the Manor grounds from the main road leading to the rest of the world. The impact with the wards had left both feeling breathless and in awe of the ward-makers skill. "They're stronger than the wards surrounding Hogwart's!" breathed McGonagall, as she tried desperately to stop herself falling over.

Although the ageing Headmaster was not feeling well-balanced himself, he took hold of McGonagall's arm to help steady her.

"Thank you, Albus. What, by Merlin, do you think this woman is?"

Albus Dumbledore opened the heavy, black, wrought iron gate that stood before them. Its design was that of a battle, what looked like the muggle version of elves and strange goblins were fighting. As the gate opened with a loud screech Dumbledore said "Exactly what Lily told us she was. Very powerful and a friend." He allowed McGonagall to enter before closing the gate again with another loud screech. "Which is why we must endeavour to show we are friends too." They began the long walk to the manor house and passing a small empty stable, all the while feeling the wards press down on them like a thousand eyes staring at them as they walked the gravel road.

"Dumbledore, what is going to happen?" McGonagall asked, suddenly very aware of how quiet it was and needing something to take her mind off of the feeling of being watched. "I know the Gringott's letter said that Harry has returned with this woman, but... well – is it possible that they could be wrong?"

"The goblins are very thorough with their dealings, I doubt that they would make a mistake." Dumbledore tried to reason, but he had to admit he was feeling somewhat excited. If Harry had grown up in the presence of such a powerful person as the maker of these wards than who knew what Harry was possible of. "I am sure that, at last, we will discover the truth about that dreadful night."

"We left a defenceless child on the doorstep of some muggles. Do you think we've made a good impression on her?" Professor McGonagall asked seriously, she knew what the answer to that question would be if it was her.

The Headmaster sighed deeply. "We can only hope. We can only hope she sees things our way."

It was at that moment that Nox Noctis Manor came into the vision as they rounded a bend in the road and the building stood in all its glory. Rather large for what was more of a house than a manor, but it was magnificent in its simplicity. Tall windows and a Gothic flavour inspired design, with gargoyles and statues of obsidian rock which must have been expensive to have custom built.

Climbing the steps to the large doors leading into the manor McGonagall pulled the bell to announce their arrival. A ageing man, with greying hair and dressed in a fine butler's get-up answered politely, casting a keen eye over the two unexpected callers.

"Evening Sir, Madam. I am Jasper, head butler to the Noctis family. May I help you?" if he was perturbed by the older wizard's colourful robes he didn't show it.

"Good evening, Jasper. I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwart's school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, this is Professor Minerva McGonagall, Head of Griffindor House and teacher of Transfiguration." Albus explained to the kindly looking butler. "Earlier today I received a letter from your employer and I hope to meet with her. Given the nature of the letter that was sent to my place of residence. We are very sorry if this is an untoward time."

"Ah, yes, Lady Noctis did mention someone from Hogwarts may call today. If you would like to come inside I shall see if the Lady and her family would meet with you." Jasper said, beckoning the two professors inside the manor. The interior of the manor clearly reflected the nature of its inhabitants, hard workers that prided in their skills. Everywhere there were portraits of numerous people from all manner of caste and background. It reminded the two guests of the Great Staircase back at Hogwart's castle with its many moving paintings and murals but the pictures here didn't move or talk and Dumbledore wondered momentarily if that was a blessing or a misfortune of the manor. It was his belief talking paintings sold a location and gave it character. They waited patiently as Jasper entered a room through a door on the left of the humble entrance hall, leaving Albus and Minerva to look at the portraits surrounding them.

"Professor?" Dumbledore hear McGonagall call. He walked over to her and looked at the painting she was staring at intently. It depicted a rather curious creature.

Large and very hairy, it's chest, stomach and pig-like nose were the only things that weren't covered in the thick white fur and it seemed to be a cold-climate creature. Tusks sprouted from its mouth and curving horns encircled its head like a halo. The creature was intelligent, for it wore oversized pants and carried a huge blade in its tree-trunk sized arms, which were covered in spiked armour. A little engraved plague sign under the painting read:

_Ox the Dragon Devourer_

"_My strength is strength for the Dark Lady's use,_

_My blood is blood for the Dark Lady,_

_My horns are weapons of the Dark Lady,_

_Where Ox's own people would not help Ox, the Dark Lady helped. She is all things and through her, we will live for Eternity."_

"Some sort of artic troll?" McGonagall asked, not understanding what this creature was. Dumbledore's eyes flitted over the little engraving and he shock his head.

"No, there are similarities but perhaps more of a sub-species of snow giant." The engraving seemed to hint that this Ox character was an ancient ally of the Noctis family, it was entirely possible his race was now extinct. If the family did have such connections with creatures like this it was possible for them to have other races as allies. No wonder the Noctis family was so secretive, they had the power, the people, and the influence capable of fighting for them.

Before the two guests could wonder about the implication of the engraving of Ox the Dragon Devourer's full body portrait Jasper returned.

"The Lady and the young Masters are ready to see you, please, just through this door."

Dumbledore and McGonagall followed the graceful man into what must have been the Living Room of the manor. Plush seats and sofas were arranged so a large family could gather and talk about the day's events and colourful bean bags littered the floor around them so young children could lounge about when they tired from play. The room's main focal points were a large window with stained panels around its outer edge depicting yet more conflict with the strange goblins in red, brown, green and blue and upright goats (perhaps another allied race, thought Dumbledore). The second focal point was a large fireplace, the grate and pit that contained the fire was stylized like a dragon with its belly and chest cut open where a roaring fire burnt strongly, the iron head and tail twisted up out of the grate and around each other. In front of the fire stood three figures, two young boys and a tall, regal woman whose chilling bright blue eyes bored into the headmaster and transfiguration professor like a stunning spell. Jet black hair hung loosely around her shoulders and reached the small of her back. A blonde boy with brown eyes and wearing furs with a T-shirt stood to her right, but it was the slightly smaller boy to her left that caused the two professors to pause and take a breath.

Lily's emerald green eyes stared at them from Jame's face with the same jet black hair as the woman, who had a protective hand on his shoulder, it was a bit longer than James would have allowed his hair to grow but it was still that tidy sort of untidiness that the Potter's were known for and just seen beneath his fringe was the scar given to him on that dreadful night.

"Welcome to the Noctis home Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall." Lady Noctis, Briar, greeted with her rich voice. "We have much to discuss."

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I'm not sure when the next chapter will come about, but please know I AM NOT leaving my none of my stories. I just have to get myself out of this rut I'm in.

Enjoy though, and review if you do.


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